Welcome to Walnetto Farm in the most southern tip of the Cascade Mountain range. Just a stone's toss from Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park and all the treasures these mountains hold. We raise LaMancha dairy goats,laying hens and garden. A homestead realized on "42 Acres of Paradise" off the grid.

Sunday, April 30, 2017

It is getting warmer. The mornings and nights are still on the cool side but the fire two nights ago was quite possibly the last of the leftovers from the winter of '17. The late afternoon temperatures are dancing with the high 70's and by weeks end the low to mid 80's. So with that said the bodacious wild flower display we have enjoyed in the last four to six weeks will end. Before they go here you are.

I will miss the delight of seeing the new blooms on my early morning walks in the back 21 with the Pyrenees Sherman and Yarrow. We have had a multi colored floral carpet under foot for so long it is hard to imagine that in short order this will all be gone and the native grasses turning brown for lack of rain and potential high 90 to 100 plus degree weather.

But when one is a lover of color it dots our lives in more ways then natures offerings in the environment.

This is my lovely offerings from Weaving Southwest http://www.weavingsouthwest.com/
check them out and look for the Churro club . The skeins above are from several months of offerings for Churro Club members.

Look what Miss. Janet at the Armstrong Holiday Ranch deposited on the bed of my truck for our viewing pleasure. The rug to the left is out of cotton warp and flannel sheets stripped down and woven for a nice kitchen or bedroom rug. The one on the right is of multi colored blues in a baby soft chenille to park your wet tootsies on when a bit wet and fresh from tub or shower. Both are part of a graduation gift for a beloved grandson who is moving from home to start life on his own after the graduation in June.

But look there is more! Lori on the left (weaver of this piece) and Carol (the Vanna White of The Shed) are showing off Lori's piece woven on a two shaft loom that was gifted to her from a family she has known for years. The matriarch of the family was a weaver and the loom was hand made for her by her husband. Both of these homesteading originals from the 1960's have passed but the family children wanted Lori to have their Mama's loom. Sweet!

Miss. Janet hiding er acting as a human wall tapestry hanger with Lori's other piece on her new to her two shaft loom. By the way all the yarns in both of Lori's pieces are out of a super stash find at the local Discovery Thrift store which is run by the American Cancer Society.

Lori gets a closer look at the fantastic rug that we saw earlier on the bed of my truck.

What would a post from the farm be without a dose of cuteness? Little Trouble's kids are growing fast. But they are still cute as a bugs ear and entertainment center on the hoof.

Wilhelmina on the left and Waylon on the right. So yup so guessed it we have Waylon and Willie in the barn! And yes that is Mama on the right center photo bombing silly LaMancha ;-)

Monday, April 24, 2017

We have had some nice sunny, warm weather this past week. Now we are back to showers, rain and potential low snow (not here though) until Thursday. Then it promises to be dry and sunny plus warmer again. The lovely yellow rose is blooming as is just about everything else around here. I have six rose bushes and they are all in various stages of bloom. In fact I have already had to dead head three of them.

With the warmer dry weather comes the spring cleaning barn style. I got the hay barn cleaned and organized yesterday and also began to move thing into the new greenhouse. The photo here is before cleaning. Of course I didn't get an after because when I get focused just about everything else goes out of my brain. You have to trust me it is a clean hay barn now.

Here I will share a photo of what I took out of it and is now in the new and improved compost pile.

I then washed out some pans and bucket that were really needing it. I also cleaned a few crates and got that organized as well. Note Libby my lovely assistant director of quality control.

Sherman in the foreground and Yarrow behind him. Good grief they were up all night keeping the bad guys on their toes. And it was a warm, lazy afternoon for some of us!

The blueberries promise a bumper crop this year provided the birds keep their beaks off them. That is one reason they reside in pots on the deck. This is the "cat deck" so it provides natural bird control.

I managed to get in a quick visit last week also to the Armstrong across the road . Janet introduced me to the latest "house calf" and of course I got to see LD (Lonesome Dove) the rejected wool/hair cross ram lamb. In fact I had come to take his manhood away but he was hanging on to them and that would have to wait for another day.

I managed to go to free sew morning at the Blue Iris again. Got the binding on the quilt waiting on top of the sewing machine to load up done. Now just to take the time today to hand stitch the binding on the backside and then it will hit the couch. Promise photo when I get that far.

Don't you just love the fun tote that Janet gifted me with ?

One of the neighbors on the east side of the driveway was watching my progress to the gate. I lovvvve my neighbors!!

Monkee was not a happy camper last week. Had some ear issues that earned him a cone of shame for a few days. April was not kind to us cat wise. First was sweet Helen who may be have beginnings of liver failure. She is twelve and a sweet girl . Chloe who had a dental issue and lastly Ari the English Setter had to break the cat streak with a bilateral puncture wound between the second and third digits. So a multiple $$$$ later and I am hoping we are done for awhile. Critter issues do seem to come in groups.

The temp is dropping and I need to get on with the quilt binding day. I will be back when life allows and hopeful to have some more wild flower photos for you all before they take their leave for another year.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Below is the bounty of spring. I mean after all Easter Sunday is only days away right?

Who could argue with this pastoral scene , blue sky , puffy white meringue clouds. It certainly must be ?

Not to overlook the splendor of the long and winding road.

See those thicker drops of rain to the center and far right? Those are what we call "popcorn snow".

Please note that this event occurred less than five minutes from the scenes above. How ever it was at about 1,000 feet . Wait it gets better.

Yup 36 degrees a drop of 20 degrees between valley floor and 1000 feet. So our low today was a solid 34 when I reached my road just about 2 miles from where the 36 registered. The time 2:30 PM.

And this is what it looked like at rock bottom temperature reading.

In a journey of less than 10 miles I experienced 54 degrees with balmy blue skies and wild flowers in abundance , rain, hail, popcorn snow and real snow. Someone might want to tell the Easter Bunny not to forget the muck boots and mittens.

Monday, April 10, 2017

If time went any faster or the activities in it I would most certainly meet myself coming or going or both. The last four days have been jam packed with activities and changes. A couple of additions also.

Little Trouble added two more herd members. On the right is one handsome little buckling. And on the left is one special little doeling. Why is she special? Well Sundance Kid is their Daddy and in about 10 breedings to does in the last 5 years this now 6 year old has never never never produced a doe kid. Big congrats to Sunny on finally coming through!

What could of been a busy enough time was accelerated by branding weekend. Jessica , daughter 3 of 3 whom you may remember from her 21st birthday visit http://walnetto-farm.blogspot.com/2016/11/company-cows-and-rain.html
joined us for a chance to help on the vaccine crew at the Ash Creek Corrals branding on Sunday. My dear friend Pam , Jessica's Mama, came along for the ride. It was three days of cows, calves, kids, thrift shops and food. Doesn't get much better than that!

They brought with them a bit of Flair. Pam and her hubby are moving to Idaho next month after many years of wishing and hoping the dream is coming true. Since they have a lot to do starting with building their home on the homestead no livestock will be going with them. Miss. Flair is Pam's oldest doe and I offered her a place to live out her life at the age of ten. Flair's Daddy was a buck of mine and I was happy to give her a retirement home and make leaving , as exciting as it is, a bit less stressful on Pam concerning her old doe. Flair does have sense of humor. Did she say "kiss me"?

Then there is Lonesome Dove a hair/wool cross that was left on a rainy night in a field that the cowboys worked gathering the cow/calf pairs for branding the next day. Ma ewe could be seen at the far side of the field with the larger , stronger ram lamb and their Daddy . Apparently LD was left behind and was cold and hungry. Cowboy Jerry (otherwise known as Janet's hubby) packed this little guy down the hill and he is currently residing in a large office box at Janet's. He will soon make an appearance at Walnetto Farm until we can find an appropriate forever home for him.

More photos of branding and kids next time. Right now I see a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce in my future then a warm bed. Leaving you with this shot from the side of my driveway.

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About Me

I am a native Californian old enough to remember when the Golden State lived up to her name. I live on 42 acres off the grid with one husband, a Border Collie/ Aussie cross Cali, an English Setter Ari, two Great Pyrenees Sherman and Yarrow who live with our LaMancha dairy goats and keep them from harms way. Toss in a few chickens, a yearly garden well you get the picture. Also have two adult children and 4 incredible grand girls. I am also a spinner, weaver, knitter and occasional quilter.